How Can Practicing Mindfulness Make You a Better Doctor?

The continuous multitasking and the high levels of stress that OB/GYNs endure can affect their ability to provide the high level of health care their patients require. The continued effects of these two factors can also leave OB/GYNs feeling burnt out and unsatisfied with their career choice.

If doctors are unable to focus on their patients as they should, then the doctor-patient relationships can suffer. The relationship a doctor has with a patient is an important part of the treatment process. It can determine how well a patient receives the information a doctor provides and how comfortable a patient will be in providing the often personal information a doctor requires to conduct a proper assessment and diagnosis.

If you believe that there is room for improvement in how you can focus on practicing medicine, you may want to consider the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is being used to help physicians restore their balance and focus to become better healthcare providers for their patients. It could be just what you need to feel refreshed.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a method of thought that boosts your concentration and clarity despite any stress factors you may be exposed to. Through the use of meditation, it compels you to focus all of your senses on the present moment without being critical of yourself. The practice is rooted in Buddhism and has been brought into mainstream medicine to be scientifically examined as a viable tool doctors can use to enhance their doctor-patient relationships.

Benefits of Mindfulness

As an OB/GYN, you may be able to use mindfulness to help you with:

• Actively listening to your patients
• Demonstrating the appropriate amount of compassion
• Addressing problem-solving in a new way

In addition to improving your doctor-patient relationship, it can have an almost regenerative effect on your physical, mental and emotion health. Mindfulness has been linked to:

• Lower blood pressure
• Better sleeping habits
• Improved cognitive skills
• Enhanced well-being
• Lower levels of stress

How to Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness can be as simple as engaging in short meditation sessions throughout your day. This can entail finding a quiet space to close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Whenever you have a distracted thought, you would release by refocusing on your breath. You would use the breathing exercises before you leave for work, throughout your workday and before you go to sleep. You should always remember that the primary goal is to obtain a state of relaxation in which you are able to focus on your thoughts and senses without being self-judgmental.

At Perinatal Resource Inc., we offer a wide range of resources to help practicing obstetricians and gynecologists remain current with their continuing education requirements and women’s health issues. Contact us today to learn more about our webinars, live conferences and audio classes.